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Augsburg University Invites Leaders to Develop Their Skills

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Four people standing together in front of a green moss and brick wall backdrop.
Program Director Keri Clifton (second from left) smiles with participants from the first Community Practice Cohort.

The Reell Office of Seeing Things Whole (STW) at Augsburg University empowers leaders to positively impact their personal and professional communities. One avenue of empowerment is the Community Practice Cohort—an opportunity for anyone who wants to enhance their leadership skills and gain insights around real-life leadership challenges. 

“Our inaugural cohort created opportunities for participants to create action in their real-life leadership opportunities. Seeing the spark of passion emerge from each participant was a joy as they moved through the STW process with a community of supporters. These leaders will continue their impact having gained insight and knowledge that revealed their path forward. I am thrilled to continue this impactful work with the next cohort,” Program Director Keri Clifton said.

The second Community Practice Cohort is accepting eight members to embark on a 10-month collaborative journey toward effective leadership, starting September 2024. Participants will gain practical skills and knowledge on leadership topics like articulating a problem, communication, team collaboration, and decision making—as well as personalized roundtables to focus on issues and skills directly related to their organization.

“I entered into this process in the hopes of exploring new ways to approach challenges I was facing in my current role,” said Michaela Clubb, a national program director and participant in the 2023-24 Community Practice Cohort. “I was able to uncover and consider not just the challenge I presented but all of the parts connected to it. I highly recommend this program for anyone who is looking to create intention and impact through their leadership.”

Mentorship is also a crucial part of the Community Practice Cohort, for both the mentors and the participants. The communal learning process brings out the best in everyone and helps create collaborative and innovative solutions to current and future challenges. “Being a mentor in the unique Seeing Things Whole program has been my privilege,” said Michael A. Gregory, author, mediation and negotiation consultant, and professional speaker. “Unlike traditional mentoring, we engage in a two-and-a-half-hour process, listening actively to a leader’s story without offering advice. Instead, we pose open-ended questions to guide the participant in exploring their identity, purpose, and stewardship. This enlightening process benefits the participant and provides mentors with opportunities to discover new and creative approaches.”

There is still time to apply for the 2024-25 Community Practice Cohort. To learn more about this opportunity, contact Program Director Keri Clifton at cliftonk@augsburg.edu or 612-330-1525.

Reell Office of Seeing Things Whole Envisions a World Made Better Through Organizations

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A Venn diagram of 3 interconnected maroon circles with a white text word in each: Identity, Purpose, StewardshipE.B. White wrote that the role of the artist is to “see things whole.” These three words underlie a leadership philosophy that cultivates whole leaders and thriving organizations to positively impact the common good. Following a generous gift in 2022, Augsburg University has established an institutional home to support and extend this practice: the Reell Office of Seeing Things Whole. 

First developed in the early 1990s, Seeing Things Whole is a three-fold model that helps individuals and organizations think about their lives as a set of relationships among three key dimensions—identity, purpose, and stewardship. The Reell Office of Seeing Things Whole connects Augsburg’s mission of educating students as responsible stewards and thoughtful leaders to the way organizations engage in meaningful, purpose-driven work in the world. 

“The three dimensions of Seeing Things Whole align well with Augsburg’s commitment to educate for lives of service,” said Tom Morgan, professor of leadership studies, who introduced Seeing Things Whole to Augsburg in 2016, integrating it into the Master of Arts and Leadership and Master of Business Administration programs. 

“No matter what the chosen discipline or professional aspiration, learning is best grounded in clarity regarding one’s values (their Identity), thoughtful consideration of who it is they desire to serve (their Purpose), and an abiding sense of how one’s resources are acquired and are being cared for (their Stewardship).”

Seeing Things Whole offers a disciplined process to support leaders who seek greater connection between their organizational values and the challenge of navigating today’s accelerating changes in the workplace. 

“I feel energized to support leaders’ ability to think critically about the unique times in which we find ourselves while remaining deeply rooted to the values that support them to thrive,” said Keri Clifton, program director. 

The Reell Office of Seeing Things Whole encourages individuals and organizations to participate in Whole Leader Roundtables, where attendees work collaboratively to understand all dimensions of a given problem, explore tensions, and work toward achieving an effective resolution for all stakeholders and across multiple bottom lines. Monthly roundtables are free and open to the public. Register now to attend the next roundtable on March 8. 

Teams and organizations can apply the three-fold model to a wide variety of challenges, including strategic planning, strategic decision-making, succession planning, governance, and developing organizational mission, vision, and values. At the individual level, Seeing Things Whole offers a pathway to creating stronger connections between one’s values, sense of purpose, and leadership action. Individuals can begin exploring Seeing Things Whole as a tool for growth by completing the Whole Leader Profile at no cost. 

To learn more, sign up for a roundtable, or start a conversation about how the three-fold model can positively impact your work or organization, contact the Reell Office of Seeing Things Whole.